When I awoke, we were back in the cave. I recognized the formation of the stalagmite, and the vast cavern. The ground beneath my feet was dry, and I realized Quintessa had set me upon a rock. Dark water sloshed around the edges, and I had to scrunch up to avoid getting wet. The air was thick and stuffy.

When I glanced around, I had to do a double take. I'd almost missed the Insecticons. They were nestled in the shadows, surrounding the cavern like bats.

"Unicron, my master. I have brought you the tribute."

Tribute. Nice.

I followed the voice up. Quintessa was hovering, addressing the ceiling.

The ceiling, which was shifting. Moving. Like skin.

Like it was breathing.

The scope of Unicron was too vast for me to even comprehend. The planet itself was alive , even more so than anyone had ever thought. Unicron's reach had to extend everywhere, to Mission City, Diego Garcia, Hong Kong. Everywhere.

"She offers you her mind."

I closed my eyes. The cavern air was dense with something - an energy I'd never felt before. Unicron wanted to come out. He wanted inside my mind - I was vehemently denying him access.

"Let my master in!"

Quintessa dove like a hawks, swooping down and clasping both hands against the sides of my face. I screamed as talons drew lines across my skin, and blood began to trickle from the wounds. Quintessa stabbed at my mind, her attacks like a rusty knife reopening a healing wound.

"Let him in."

"Let him in.

"Let him in."

I started to scream.

I screamed until my throat went raw and my vocal cords were so drawn out and tired that they could only produce high pitched squeals.

Everything hurt.

I wanted to die.

The hole Quintessa had managed to poke in my defenses was allowing Unicron to slip through, bit by bit.

"You're mine."

"I'm not yours. I'll never be yours."

"You're mine."

He showed me death. He showed me my worst fears - everything I didn't want to come to fruition.

I was in hell. I witnessed hell.

This creature was hell.

The cavern around us rumbled as bowed over, pressing my head against the rock. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Quintessa look around, startled by the noise. Then, a smile touched the corners of her lips.

"Yes. It is working. "

A voice that wasn't mine said, "She won't last much longer."

I clamped my mouth shut. I didn't sound like that.

Quintessa started talking. I didn't know if they were lies. If she was trying to get me to give up, give in.

"Finding your home was simple. Joshua Joyce had all the information I needed," Quintessa analyzed her nails. "And getting him to disable your tech was even simpler. A shame I had to dispose of him."

I glared at her with bloodshot eyes.

She had to be lying.

"She isn't."

"Shut up!" I swung my arm in a wide arc, catching Quintessa in the head. The impact dented her metallic skin and she howled, baring her teeth, advancing on me like an avenging demon. Her claws sliced at my exposed skin, drawing blood. I held on for dear life as my feet left the ground and Quintessa, her grip on me unbreakable, slammed me hard into the jutting stalagmite. The stone cracked and groaned, rocks tumbling from the ceiling. My feet dangled and kicked at the air.

"How I've longed to spill your blood, slice you limb from limb," Quintessa snarled. "It deeply pains me that I can't."

"I need you," Unicron hissed. "I need your body. I need a vessel."

It all clicked.

I was to be his pawn. His avatar, so he could traverse the world above instead of being stuck, confined to this cave.

Quintessa released me. I fell for a harrowing several seconds before landing, hard, against the ground. The shallow water barely broke my fall, and my head smacked hard against the rock. Blood gushed from the newly formed wound and I grit my teeth, hissing in pain as the water became dark.

The fall had broken my focus, allowing Unicron to slip through, disguised as waves of pain, farther into my psyche. I squeezed my eyes shut, letting out quick breaths.

Get out.

"No."

Get out.

"No!"

GET OUT!

"NO!"

I looked up. Quintessa was hovering above the water, eyes blown wide, a sick smile on her face as she watched Unicron creep closer and closer to total control. She was so entranced, in fact, that she failed to notice the sharp tip of a sword pierce the air until it was too late.

The blade emerged from the center of her chest. Eyes that were once wide in wonder became wide in shock and pain. She looked down, gave a little croak, and then sagged like a pile of bricks when Cade yanked his sword free.

Unicron roared.

The cavern shook, the stalagmite cracking and crumbling. The Insecticons leaped from their perch, only to be blasted away as Optimus and the other Autobots stormed the caverns, shouting orders, waving for Cade to grab me and run. I saw William Lennox, gun in hand, gesturing for Cade - I was lifted, delirious and barely able to move.

How long have I been down here?

This time, Unicron didn't respond.

Awake.

Awake.

"Wake up."

My eyes shot open. A monitor next to my head began beeping, rapidly. A tube was in my mouth and another in my arm.

My legs kicked and the bed moved. Something clattered to the floor, and I heard a door open. Hands began to steady me, force me back - I tried to move again but I couldn't. Something was restricting me, something strong enough to hold me down.

"She's awake!"

"Keep her stabilized. We don't know - we don't know if she's still all in there-"

"Rachel?" Cade's face appeared above me. I narrowed my eyes. "Rachel, can you hear me? Do you know me?"

I didn't move. I couldn't bring myself to answer.

"Shit. You need to get this tube out of her mouth-"

"We're working on that."

"Well work faster-"

"Cade, please, step away and let them work."

I moved my head to the side and saw several feet. The room was so unbelievably bright, sterile and clean. The walls were white and the floors were white, save for the dark scuff marks, evidence that this room had been visited many, many times. I found myself fascinated by them, until a voice tugged me out of my trance.

"We're going to take the tube out now, Rachel."

Again, I said nothing. Something lurched from within my stomach and I gagged, limbs stretching, my gag reflex reacting as the long plastic tube was removed from the depths on my core.

I could speak.

Yet I felt as if I couldn't.

Cade's face reappeared. I studied his features - tired eyes, unkempt hair. His calloused hands gripped my shoulder and he squeezed, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"You okay?"

I didn't reply.

"Please say something. Don't leave me hanging. Please."

"I'm okay," I said softly. "Where am I?"

Cade exhaled, letting out the breath he'd been holding all this time. My eyes drifted upward, and I saw another man - a familiar man - standing over me. It took a moment to put two and two together, as my mind was fuzzy. It was Prime's holoform, looking just as relieved as Cade.

"Sweetspark."

"Hey," I croaked. "Hey, where am I? What happened? I don't remember. I don't...know."

Optimus shifted. He seemed uncomfortable.

"The medics believe that you somehow forced yourself into stasis - a coma. You have been unresponsive for a number of weeks. Unicron has been silent."

"Quintessa is dead," Cade said. "Everyone is alright. Cogman is alive. He's banged up pretty badly, and he's been in...stasis too. He should come out of it. He will."

"Joyce-"

Cade shook his head. My heart sank.

"Shit."

"The funeral has already passed," Optimus said grimly. "It is a miracle that he was the only casualty."

"The weapons he gave us don't work."

"I know," Cade replied. "Listen, we've got everything under control. Nobody knows that you're awake - everyone was...relocated back to Diego Garcia. Everyone. That's where we are right now."

I glanced up at Optimus. He stood, rigid. I could tell that he was about to ask Cade for some time alone with me, but luckily Cade took the hint and pulled me into a hug.

"I'm glad you're back. Vivian was worried sick. She wants to see you, when you've gotten some of your strength back."

There was no mention of the restrains. I could sit up, but one wrist and one leg were attached to the bed, keeping me tied down. I could see Prime's eyes linger on the chains, and I heard him murmur something to Cade.

Then, we were alone. Just the two of us in this white room with an observation window that allow others to see in, but wouldn't let me see out.

"This isn't a regular hospital room, is it."

"It is not, sweetspark," Optimus said softly. I watched as his holoform pulled a metal chairs from the corner. He sat at my bedside, lacing his fingers together against my thigh. My free hand absently began stroking his hair.

"What happened, Optimus?"

"When we retrieved you, you lashed out. Several of the soldiers were injured."

"I don't...remember-"

"I know. It was Mearing's decision to place you in solitary confinement. You were screaming in a voice that was not your own," Optimus' voice sounded hollow. Like he didn't want to relive the memory. "You were restrained for your own safety."

"Can these things hold me?"

"These are Cybertronian metals. They will hold, yes."

I gave an experimental tug. As I predicted, the restraints did not budge. I flopped back down, squeezing my eyes shut. Memories were coming back to me, slowly. Little flashes of my battle with Quintessa and the cold, dead look in her eyes.

She's gone.

It isn't over.

"Can you just...stay with me for a bit?" I murmured.

"Of course," Optimus placed a hand on my cheek, and I melted into his touch. I had no clue what was behind the one-sided glass, no idea who . I didn't care - Optimus' touch was so familiar, so warm and loving and kind. It was a touch I knew all too well, and I touch I never wanted to forget.

The illusion of peace was shattered when I felt something creeping into the corners of my brain, like an unstoppable plague.

I wasn't alone.